But with all these fantastic looking decks, you really didn't think you could get away with just storing these hidden in a cupboard did you? That's where accessories like these come in, and the playing card enthusiast is going to love this.

FOR THE EXHIBITIONIST IN YOU

Carat XDS card display & deck stand

First up is the Carat XDS single card display & deck stand. This is an acrylic stand, that serves the important function of showing off your favourite and most classy deck in a stylish way. At the same time it also can display and protect one of your more impressive playing cards.

Mine came in a flat cardboard sleeve, so I had to put together the components. That was easily done, because it just consists of two main parts which are pre-assembled: the base panels, and the display itself. The display panel has a slot into which you easily slide the base panel, and that's all there is to it. This creates a natural base for the stand, and acts as a shelf onto which you can place your favourite deck. If you really wanted to, you could also use the shelf to store other items, like your phone.



The card display portion of this product works by using two pieces of acrylic that are held together with four pairs of neodymium magnets - all pre-installed. The interior is slightly indented (1mm deep) in the shape of a poker sized card, which ensures that your favourite playing card isn't going to get damaged, and that it will sit nicely in the center of the display without any extra effort or repositioning needed.

Everything is made out of clear acrylic, which ensures that it is functional and sturdy, and of course transparent. The result is fantastic - assuming you've got a beautiful deck and/or beautiful playing card to display on it, but I think for most of us that is a given.



Carat XDS brick box

What about when it's time to store a whole bunch of decks? That's where the Carat XCB brick box (with viewing window) comes in.

In the world of playing cards, a dozen cards is commonly called a "brick", and often serious collectors and cardists will purchase decks by the "brick". But brick boxes also serve as very convenient storage devices. The only down side is that once your playing cards are stored in a brick box, you typically can't see what's inside. The Carat XCB brick box solves that problem by adding a convenient viewing window. Plus this is just a more sturdy and reliable box all round.

Mine came as a cardboard flat pack (for straight forward shipping), and was easily assembled. It was just a matter of folding the sides, each of which involved inserting a small tongue into a slot that is pre-cut into the bottom of the box and which helps keep things in place. The main part of the box then just folds around from the back forwards. When closed, a flap on each side keeps the lid down and in place.



And of course there's a transparent window through which you can see the decks inside. It's glued to the inside of the top of the box, and is made of thin (1mm) transparent acrylic. With my box, the glue that held the acrylic in place to the top of the lid seemed to be losing its stickiness on one side, so I had to do a minor repair job. Fortunately even for a guy like me, with zero credentials as a handyman, and ordinarily useless at repairing things, it was an easy fix by adding some extra glue.

I often use brick boxes to store my playing cards, but usually they are just the inexpensive and flimsy boxes that are used for shipping larger orders of decks. They don't typically stand up to much wear, and aren't very sturdy. In contrast this brick box is a much stronger design, being made of reasonably thick cardboard. This means that you can easily stack a number of these boxes on top of each other with decks inside, without fear of the cardboard walls collapsing and crushing your precious decks. I like this a lot, and already have my sights set on picking up more.



Recommendation

So where can you get the beautiful decks and accessories featured here? Any reputable online retailer that sells custom playing cards should have these available (e.g. Rare Playing Cards). If your favourite retailer don't stock these particular decks, send them to Murphy's Magic, which is a magic wholesaler. They have an enormous range of products that they sell in bulk quantities to dealers and retailers around the world. Given their extensive contacts in the industry, all of these decks should be available from any retailer that sources their decks from Murphy's Magic.

I've seen a lot of decks of custom playing cards, but I never cease to be surprised by the level of innovation and creativity that is on display, as designers and creators continue to experiment with new ideas and concepts. Today's market is witnessing an unprecedented amount of quality playing cards that handle beautifully and also look great. The decks featured here are all fine examples of the type of quality and style that is available to consumers today. Artistic and original decks like these are great for card gamers, cardists, magicians, collectors, or for anyone looking to customize their playing card experience with some refreshing and custom elements.

Direct links:
- For the alter-ego of you: B-Roll deck, Six Strings deck
- For the traditionalist in you: Black Widow deck, Versa deck
- For the cardist in you: Proj. Subtle deck
- For the magician in you: DMC Elites deck (Forest Green), Polyantha deck
- For the exhibitionist in you: Carat XDS card display & deck stand, Carat XCB brick box